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I posted a while back about getting into reloading and was given wonderful advice. I have started to get my reloading equipment in order and have started to wonder which route to take.

Digital or Analog for weighing and also calipers?

Does this really come down to personal preference or is there a reason to choose one over the other? I am not wanting to create a large debate but rather get the facts. I have heard everything from "analog doesn't need batteries" to the "digital aren't as accurate".

I am ok with reading analog measurements however from what I have objectively observed is a digital read out takes any "guess" work or incorrect readings you may get from an analog. Granted this also can be argued that the scale / caliper is only as good as the zero done.

I did a search for some older postings about this but really couldn't find anything that fit the bill.

As a former chemist, digital scales/balances are SO MUCH easier and faster to use. It'll probably come with a calibration weight or two, use them. I strongly recommend a digital balance.

For calipers - I've used both, and prefer digital simply because they are faster and easier to use. It's also neat that you can 'zero' them at a certain point if you want to measure differences (say, difference in OAL of different cartridges - instead of saying 1.234 vs 1.232 vs. 1.228, you have the differences read out). But analog calipers are pretty easy to use.

Call me old fashioned, but when I'm loading up match rounds, I use my old beam scale. I just trust it more. Maybe it's because I work in electronics and I know how discreet differences can happen with electronic components and their tolerances.

Although, if I'm just pumping out a few hundred rounds for range fun, digital it is.

If your going to use a digital scale, make sure it is accurate AND doesn't drift. I tried a Hornady scale (as a replacement for a broken Cabelas scale) and it had a .3 grain variance. I'm talking about weighing the same thing 5 times (just pick it up and put it down) and getting the variance.

I broke out the beam scale and tried it and it didn't vary.

I got my replacement Cabelas scale to replace the Hornady (which was to be a backup scale) and it seems to have no variance and reads the same as the beam scale.

anted digital calipers are easier to read but they are nowhere near as accurate as a dialed mechanical caliper. granted you can make read errors on a dialed set but thats only if you are in a rush and not paying attention to what is going on. that and with the digital calipers you have to go slow when measuring or the zero will get thrown off. thats just my two sets on my preferred caliper type.

"Nowhere near as accurate"? Can you elaborate on just how much difference you have seen. I've used some digital and some analog measuring devices and not once found the difference to be worth worrying over. For instance if my powder charges are +- .1 gr I am happy as can be and I can get that precision a ton faster with a digital scale than with a beam balance.

its just a user error kinda thing with the digital calipers as if you jerk them or move them too quick you will throw off the zero. ive gotten measurements that are 0.12 inches off with digital calipers and odds are it was user error with how jerky i was, but i have never had that issue with a set of analog calipers.

I think it comes down to personal preference. I have the RCBS Chargemaster 1500 and a digital caliper, and they work great for me.

It is true that my caliper needs batteries to run, but I haven't had to change them yet. I find the mark I need, lock it, and turn the power off. Every once and a while it goes whacky on me and I have to bring it back to zero and then hit the zero button, otherwise I have no problems. The display is large and easy to read, and I don't have to count lines or anything.

As for the Chargemaster, it plugs in to the wall. I feel this is more accurate than a powder dispenser, and faster than weighing it on a scale. (Although for some reason it is super slow with small charges). To be safe I calibrate every 50 rounds, which only takes 30 seconds or so.

Overall, to me, the very minimal loss in accuracy that people claim is worth the speed and efficiency I have gained by going digital.

My opinion on digital scales is that the current fare that is offered by the reloading industry is crap. If you want to use a digital scale you need to go to the laboratory/chemistry industry. The problem is that those scales are very expensive, but worth every penny. I bought a scale that is able to measure to a thousandth of a grain reliably, but it cost me just under $400. Pro Tip: If it does not plug in don't buy it.

Balance scales are very sensitive, which is good, but are not very precise. Most balance reloading scales do not have parallax correction. You can see the indicating needle move even if you just drop a piece of stick powder into the pan, but reading the indicator is always a give or take, although it is an admittedly small give or take.

I use a balance scale to check the throws on my powder measure as I can "see/feel" the differences between throws.